Montauk-area mariners will soon be able
to get a new chart of Montauk Harbor.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ship Rude (pronounced Rudy)
is currently surveying Montauk Harbor as well as completing hydrographic
surveys between Montauk Point and Block Island that began last
summer. Rude is identifying the location of boulders,
wrecks and other hazards to navigation absent from current charts
in addition to determining the exact depths of dangerous rocks
off of Montauk Point.

At the request of the U.S.
Coast Guard, the 90-foot research vessel is using highly
sophisticated sonar systems to chart the approaches to Montauk
Harbor while its 21-foot launch is surveying the inside of the
harbor. Rude's three types of sonar  vertical, side
scan, and multi-beam  not only locate and determine least
depths, but also identify contacts on the sea floor by producing
picture-like images.

Conducting these hydrographic surveys will
ensure safe navigation for Coast Guard vessels frequently entering
Montauk Harbor for fuel and logistics, and will provide data
needed for a 1:7,500-scale inset on the nautical chart. Commercial
fishing boats and large yachts use the harbor for year-around
mooring and for refuge when weather conditions require storm-avoidance
actions. Rude's work is vital to the economy of various
fisheries, especially the lobster industry, where pollution from
any grounding source would adversely affect the fisheries in
nearby communities.

After completing its work in Montauk Harbor
and Block Island Sound at the end of August, Rude will
survey the approaches to Northville frequented by deep-draft
oil tankers.

As part of the NOAA
fleet of research ships and aircraft, Rude is operated
and managed by the Office of NOAA Corps Operations, composed
of civilians and commissioned officersThe NOAA
Corps is a uniformed service of the United States, composed
of officers  all scientists or engineers  who provide
NOAA with an important blend of operational, management and technical
skills that support the agency's programs at sea, in the air,
and ashore. Rude is homeported in Norfolk, Va., and commanded
by Lt. Cmdr. Jamie Verlaque, NOAA Corps.